Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow has been named the world’s most beautiful woman for 2013 by People magazine, knocking pop singer Beyonce from the top spot. She said: “It’s funny, these things, because it’s like obviously not true. But it’s very sweet to be named that.”
“Because I mean you can't say that, you know! But it's been wonderful. It's been very wonderful. And as my friend said, it's so nice that someone who has kids and is a mom and is not like 21 is named that. It's really an honour.”
Paltrow said her two children weren't aware of the news in this week's edition of the magazine, but she'd been getting plenty of congratulatory emails from friends and family.
The 40-year-old mother of two credits a five-day-a-week exercise regimen for keeping her in shape. She previously said that she does 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training, and if she’s preparing for an event she kicks up her routine a notch to two hours a day, six days a week for two weeks. “It makes me look younger and feel strong,” said Paltrow. “When I first started, I thought: ‘I’ll never be good at this. This is a nightmare!’ But now it’s like brushing my teeth, I just do it.”
It is the fourth time Paltrow, who is married to Coldplay singer Chris Martin, has been named in the magazine’s annual beautiful people issue, but the first time she has landed the coveted title of “most beautiful”.
But the accolade has not been without harsh criticism. Soon after the announcement, critics took to Twitter to attack the decision.
One user remarked: “If Gwyneth Paltrow is the most beautiful woman in the world then I’m a 10 times Olympic bobsled gold medallist and Top Gun fighter pilot.”
Another wrote: “So People magazine has declared Gwyneth Paltrow is the world’s most beautiful woman, I wonder how they decide this. Bunch of c**p.”
Just last week Paltrow was named as the most hated celebrity in Hollywood by a poll in Star magazine, outranking Twilight star Kristen Stewart, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber. According to reports, those polled found her arrogant, and her advice on topics ranging from cookery to dress, patronising. Paltrow is the founder of lifestyle and clothing website Goop.com.
Paltrow’s also written a cookbook of healthy recipes, called It’s All Good. The book raised the ire of some bloggers, saying her recipes were too expensive for regular families.
But the flip side of the most hated coin is that Paltrow joins actresses such as Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry and Jennifer Aniston who have all topped the People list. For Paltrow it must be in the genes, because her beauty regime is simple. She tries to have a facial once a week and uses a moisturiser daily, but doesn’t have hours to spend doing make-up each day.
She was born in Los Angeles in 1972 to producer Bruce Paltrow, and Tony award winning actress Blythe Danner and spent her first 11 years there. As a student she tried her hand at Art History, but the blonde beauty was soon drawn to acting instead. Perhaps it was inevitable, as her parents had tutored her in acting and she had made her television debut, well sort of, before being born.
Her mother was several months pregnant with Paltrow in one of the episodes of Columbo back in 1972.
Paltrow first appeared on stage in the play Picnic when she was 18. Her first film was Shout with John Travolta the following year.
In 1994, she dated Brad Pitt and the couple were engaged, but called it quits several years later.
Paltrow won an Oscar for her role as William Shakespeare’s muse in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, but it would be five years before she’d find love herself. She met husband Martin at one of his concerts, and they now have two children – Apple, 8, and Moses, 7.
She plays Pepper Potts, Tony Stark’s love interest in the Iron Man trilogy. Her co-star in Iron Man 3, Ben Kinglsey said:
“She is as gracious and beautiful inside as she is outside. She’s got a good heart. A lovely girl.” – Reuters, Sapa-AP